1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an energy efficient deck framing system and method for installing the system wherein prefabricated deck panel structures can be quickly and efficiently brought to a working location and positioned into place in such a way as to minimize the loss of thermal energy through the supporting structure of the system.
2. Description of Prior Art and of U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,067
The inventor hereof has already contributed to the art of systems and methods for installing deck framing, as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,067, incorporated herein by reference. This patent teaches much about the prior art preceding U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,067 in its description of the prior art section.
In addition to the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,067 itself teaches the use of one or more deck panels which can be secured with respect to and between two elongated structural framing members to form a deck panel structure. The deck panel structure is then positioned between two primary structural members in a position such that each structural framing member is suspended from a support arm or a support structure that is supported by a corresponding one of the primary structural members. In this embodiment, at least each corner portion of the deck panel structure can be mechanically adjusted to vary a vertical position of the deck panel structure.
Prior to the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,067, many deck structures had been supported by an angle bracket having one leg structurally welded to an edge portion or an underside of a horizontal flange of a steel stringer, a steel plate, a girder, or another suitable steel primary structural member. Deck pans or other suitable deck panels of these deck structures were individually positioned between opposing angle brackets which were welded into place in the field. Each deck pan was positioned upon horizontal flanges of such field-installed opposing angle brackets. The deck pan was then secured with a sheet metal screw or a weld, also at the job site.
With these deck framing systems, each vertical height adjustment to vary the elevation of the top of the deck pan required labor-intensive field adjustments, often accomplished with welded connections. Furthermore, many of these deck framing systems had welded connections or metal fasteners exposed beneath the deck structure.
Furthermore, deck framing systems of the prior art, and even those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,067, tend to be constructed of metal. Especially when used to support a ceiling of a cold room, a walk-in refrigerator, or any other situations where heat transfer between the space above and the space below the deck panels is disadvantageous, metal-to-metal heat transfer can result in energy inefficiencies.
Thus, a problem associated with deck framing systems and methods therefor that precede the present invention is that they do not provide a thermally insulated mechanical deck structure support that substantially prevents thermal conductivity of energy along the metal supports thereof.
Yet another problem associated with deck framing systems and methods therefor that precede the present invention is that they do not facilitate quick installation of the deck panels by permitting pre-placement of the securement means prior to installation of the deck panels, and movement of the securement means as the deck panels are installed.
Still a further problem associated with deck framing systems and methods therefor that precede the present invention is that they do not facilitate efficient transportation to a job site in a manner that saves shipping space and thereby saves time, energy and money.
Yet an additional problem associated with deck framing systems and methods therefor that precede the present invention is that they do not enable efficient assembly and erection of the deck framing system.
Another problem associated with deck framing systems and methods therefor that precede the present invention is that they do not permit utilization of multi-sized prefabricated deck panel structures which can be positioned directly upon horizontal flanges of more uniform steel stringers or other primary structural support members that do not need to be specifically sized in advance to correspond to the thickness of the prefabricated deck panel structures.
Still a further problem associated with deck framing systems and methods therefor that precede the present invention is that the vertical height of each deck panel structure cannot be quickly adjusted using simple mechanical elements to accommodate the varying dimensional characteristics of the prefabricated deck panel structures.
For the foregoing reasons, there has been defined a long felt and unsolved need for an energy efficient deck framing system and method that is easily installed, inexpensive to manufacture and adjustable to accommodate a variety of prefabricated parts of differing sizes and dimensions.
In contrast to the foregoing, the present invention constitutes an energy efficient deck framing system and method that seeks to overcome the problems discussed above, while at the same time providing a simple, easily constructed apparatus and method that is readily adapted to a variety of applications.